Chapter 4: Time to Go

 

 

 

The weeks had flown by due to preparation for the move to Montana, and time for the big move arrived.  Early one Wednesday morning, even before the sun had risen, Rick and Evelyn were awake getting last minute things ready.  The house was empty save for the bedrolls everyone had slept on, and everything they owned was on a ship ready to sail for the United States of America.  In their bathroom Rick lathered his face with shaving cream and began to shave when he heard muffled crying, and knew who it was.  He sighed and hurried up with shaving his face only cutting himself twice which was a record, and when he had finished he went into his and Evie’s room.  She was standing next to the balcony window with her head leaned against it softly crying.

 

“Hey,”  Rick said as he moved beside her and gathered her in his strong arms.

 

“I wish we didn’t have to leave,”  she managed as she rested her cheek against his strong chest.

 

“I know sweetheart.  If there was another way I would go for that, but it’s just not safe for us to be here, not with the threat that Hitler is imposing,”  Rick said as he rubbed his hand over her back.  After a few moments she felt better, and once they had parted she went to the bathroom to start getting dressed for the day while Rick went to get the rest of the family up.

 

 

 

 

In his room, Alex was already awake.  Both Siam and Cleo were asleep on his bedroll, and today would be a big day for them.  Rick had a few men at his shipping firm make special boxes for them to stay in on the ride to the ship, and later on the Train to Montana.  He had mixed feelings about leaving England.  On the one part he was extremely excited because this was going to be a new adventure.  On the other part he was very sad because he was terrified of never being able to come back despite what his parents had said about when the war ended.  A knock on his door drew him out of thought.

 

“Come in,”  he said.  At his permission, Rick entered closing the door so that the cats wouldn’t get out.

 

“Dad tell me again why we have to go?”  Alex asked.  He let his father sit beside him, and even let him hug him close, feeling safe in his arms even though he was thirteen years old.

 

“I know this isn’t easy son.  If I had my choice I would keep us here, but for right now we need to get all of someplace safe.

 

“Max’s father says were running away for no good reason. He says that no one is safe,”  Alex said.

 

“Don’t you worry about what his father says son, I will make sure we stay safe, all right?”  Alex nodded, and after their talk, Rick went to get his girls out of bed.

 

 

 

In their room, Louisa, Elizabeth and Rebecca were all still asleep on several blankets piled on top of one another, and when Rick walked in he smiled, watching them sleep.  It had not been easy on them to see things being packed up, because they didn’t understand what was happening.  Quietly Rick walked over to their makeshift bed, and sat down, then lay beside Rebecca.

 

“Goodmorning little Angels,”  Rick said.  Louisa lifted her head then hid her face against her pillow.

 

“Come on my angels today we get to go on a big trip.”  It took a little more coaxing than usual, but he finally managed to get them up and dressed, then Evelyn came in and got their hair unrolled, and pulled each of their girls hair back in a half ponytail.

 

 

 

Breakfast was usually a talkative noisy affair.  Now it was quiet, and even the girls were silent. 

 

“Unc John?”  Louisa asked as she put her spoon down.

 

“Yes Darling,”  Jonathan said looking over at her.  She was sitting on Alex’s lap.

 

“Why you going Egup?”  she asked.  Jonathan had decided to go back to Cairo to stay there.  He was also not fighting in the war, more for the fact that he didn’t want his toosh shot off, and Cairo was his favorite place aside from England.

 

“Well I have some old friends I want to see,”  Jonathan said, not really sure how to tell them why he wasn’t going with them.

 

“Me go too,”  Elizabeth said.

 

“Not this time, you get to go with your mummy and Daddy,”  Jonathan said wishing they would just drop this topic.   Evelyn seemed to know how he was feeling, and let them down to play with the few toys they had left in the house. 

 

“May I be excused now?”  Alex asked.  He had not been happy with his Uncle’s decision to move to Egypt, and didn’t want to be around him any longer than he had too.  When his parents gave him permission to, Alex went to check on his cats.  They were in their travel boxes at the front entry both meowing, and his sisters were doing their best to get them out.

 

“No,”  Alex said as he ran over.  Just as he made it to them, Rebecca opened the cage that Siam was in and he ran like mad through the house. 

 

“THAT WAS BAD..MUM,”  Alex yelled.  Rebecca started to cry and Alex ran in the Direction that Siam had gone.  Evelyn and Rick had heard him yell and when they got to the front entry found the cage open and Rebecca crying.  Evie picked her up soothing her, as Rick went to help Alex find his cat.

 

 

 

Almost two hours had passed, and Siam was nowhere to be found.  Even with the furniture gone, there were all sorts of places a cat could hide, and unfortunately it was time to go.

 

“Alex I promise when he comes out I’ll put him on the first ship to the United States,  Jonathan said trying to make his nephew feel better.  The car and the taxi were all loaded, and Alex had opted to ride with Uncle John not wanting to even look at Rebecca.  Once they were underway Jonathan started to talk. 

 

“Don’t I even get two words?”  Jonathan asked.  Alex sighed.

 

“Why can’t you just come to Montana?”  he asked.

 

“I’m not sure I would fit in a small town setting Partner, and this isn’t forever,”  Jonathan reassured.

 

“Yeah okay sure,”  Alex mumbled looking out the Window.  He felt like his life was ending, and was sure that he would never make any new friends.  When they got to the port, he, his father, and Uncle took all of their things excluding Cleo to be loaded on the ship while his mother and sisters waited by the pier.  Once that had been done.  Rick gave Jonathan a bear hug.

 

“Take care of yourself,”  Rick said as they parted.  Jonathan nodded then the girls ran over to him all wanting a kiss at the same time so he knelt down giving each one a kiss.  Evie watched with tears streaming down her face and Alex got to her before Rick hugging her.

 

“He’ll be okay mum Uncle John is tough,”  Alex said.  When Jonathan straightened, he walked over to them, and Alex moved away going to watch over the girls and Cleo while they said their good-byes.

 

“Don’t worry old Mum I will be fine,”  he said as they hugged.

 

“I wish you were coming with us,”  Evelyn said.

 

“I know, but I think Egypt will suit me better than Montana,”  he said as they parted.  Jonathan stood on the pier watching them leave feeling his heart pounding heavily.  He would be leaving the next day, and a part of him wanted to go as well but he knew he wouldn’t fit in.  Once they were on board the ship he waved at them until the ship left the pier then went back to Rick’s Buford and head home.

 

 

 

When Jonathan arrived at the house Siam was waiting and he hurried and loaded him in the case and left for the pier again.  When he arrived he found one of the port authorities and explained to him about the cat.  The man was an older man, and made arrangements for Siam to be delivered to the ship.  Jonathan wrote a quick note then went back home feeling better that at least Alex would have his cat.

 

 

 

 

The first day on the ship had come to an end, and now in their three bedroom suite,  Evie and Rick were getting three very tired girls ready for night night.  Elizabeth was being grumpy, and kept fidgeting while Rick tried to get her dress unbuttoned and laughed when he lifted her in his arms tickling her, then he stopped when he heard the knock on the door.  He stood and took her with him, and when he answered the door he found a young man with Siam.

 

“Are you Mr. O’Connell?”  he asked.

 

“That would be me.”  Rick signed the little paper then grinned going to the door that led to his son’s room.

 

“Alex you have a present,”  Rick called out.  In a moment the door opened and Alex came out looking glum until he saw what his present was. 

 

“Oh how cool,”  In his room on his bed Cleo lay sleeping and perked up when she heard Siam mewing.  He gave his dad a hug then walked over to Rebecca and knelt down.

 

“I’m sorry I yelled at you this morning,”  he said.  She was dressed in her pink nightie, and had her hair all curled up.

 

“I sowey I bad,”  she said.  Alex hugged her.

 

“Your not bad, I was just mad, and I shouldn’t have yelled.”

 

“I come seep in bed if you?”  she asked.

 

“Can she mum?”  Alex asked.

 

“Only if your promise to get her to sleep,”  Evie said as she led the other two of her daughters to their room.  He held her hand and they went in his room, and Rebecca got to let Siam out.  He ran to the bed and jumped up curling next to Cleo.

 

“Do you need to use the potty?”  Alex asked.

 

“Yes.”  He took her to the small bathroom and waited until she called him in then helped her wipe herself.  Once both of them were ready they snuggled in his bed together.

 

“Awek?”  she asked around her finger.

 

“Yeah?”  he answered.

 

“We go home tomorrow?”  she asked.  He sighed and hugged her.

 

“Someday we will, now get some sleep.”  she nodded and soon both of them slept peacefully.

 

 

 

Somewhere in the night Rebecca woke up crying, and Alex shot up.

 

“What’s wrong?”  he asked.

 

“Mummy daddy,”  she cried.  He hugged her close but she kept crying, and then the door opened and Rick walked in.

 

“I think she had a bad dream,”  Alex said as his father took her swaying.

 

“Shhh, daddy has you now,”  he said rubbing her back.  She sucked on her finger again resting her head on his shoulder.

 

“How did you hear her?”  Alex whispered.

 

“Elizabeth and Louisa are in our bed, and it’s not big enough to hold all of us, so I’m asleep out in the main room,”  Rick whispered.   He walked over to the bed and started to lay her down but she came awake and clung to him.

 

“Nooo,”  she cried. 

 

“Okay baby, do you want to come sleep with daddy?”  Rick asked.  She nodded so he left Alex and went into the room that was supposed to be for the girls and settled in bed with her.  Once Rebecca was sure her daddy was staying put, she went right to sleep.